Cabo Verde's fairytale adventure: qualification awaits

The fairytale debut of Cabo Verde at the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues on Friday. The African island nation are chasing a shock ticket to the round of 32 by beating Saudi Arabia. Stunning draws with Spain and Uruguay give Cabo Verde a genuine shot at advancing. A win at NRG Stadium in Houston would confirm that place. A draw could also be enough if Spain beat Uruguay, or if Cabo Verde rank as one of the eight best third-placed teams.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, face the threat of an early exit. For the Green Falcons, who followed an opening draw with Uruguay with a heavy loss to Spain, anything less than three points from Friday's match means elimination. This tense affair, with major consequences for both teams, will shape the balance of the group.

Confidence is sky-high in the Cabo Verde dressing room. After the draws with World Cup royalty, the islanders showcased their defensive organization against Spain and their attacking improvement against Uruguay. This run by Cabo Verde, who have shown their ability in both boxes, marks the first time a World Cup debutant has gone unbeaten in its opening two fixtures since Senegal did so in 2002. Bubista's side are determined to keep this journey going.

For Saudi Arabia, a lack of attacking firepower stands out. Georgios Donis's squad laid this weakness bare with just 0.8 expected goals and 12 touches in the opposition box across the first two matches. Cabo Verde will make an enforced change in defense, with left-back Sidney Lopes Cabral suspended for two yellow cards; João Paulo is expected to replace him. Telmo Arcajo, who came off injured at halftime against Uruguay, will be replaced by one of the Duarte brothers. Saudi Arabia are likely to revert from the back five used against Spain to the 4-4-2 used against Uruguay. The Green Falcons need a special performance from captain and star forward Salem Al-Dawsari, who provided the assist for the famous winner against Argentina in Qatar four years ago.

Starting XIs
Cabo Verde (4-3-3): Vozinha; Moreira, Lopes, Borges, Paulo; L. Duarte, Pina, Monteiro; Mendes, Benchimol, Rodrigues
Saudi Arabia (4-4-2): Al Owais; Abdulhamid, Al Amri, Al Tambakti, Al Harbi; Al Shamat, Kanno, Al Khaibari, Al Dawsari; Al Buraikan, Al Juwayr

Source: Sports Illustrated
Image: Sports Illustrated